Bring Grandma, and rent a scooter.. A fast pass to the Front of the line sometimes

[ZoZo]

It's okay, DisGirl23. Being directed to an alternate entrance isn't necessarily the same as going to the front of the line. Experienced wheelchair- and ECV-using Disney Guests know that most of the time you go through the regular line; when you do use an alternate entrance, sometimes you do get on the attraction faster but sometimes you wait a lot longer than if you waited with everyone else - since there are regulations on how many Guests needing mobility assistance can be on a ride at one time, or there are only so many spaces in a theater for wheelchairs/ECVs... It all averages out.

I also found this to be true. Had to rent an ECV last trip due to foot problems, and sometimes found it took longer than the regular line! Example: Kilamanjaro Safari at AK. They route all of the wheelchair/ECV users and their families to one area, and wait until they can fill up a tram with everyone in that area. Seemed to take much longer than it would have in the FP line, especially since it takes longer to load/unload the tram for folks with mobility issues.

As others have said, please don't promote getting an ECV as a way around the lines - it's not fair to truly disabled folks.

 

[Ancien Maestro]

To clarify.. Our Grandma, just like yourself, experienced problems.. and had to rent a scooter.. We didn't rent a scooter to take advantage of fast passing lines.. but noticed a difference firsthand as a result of grandmas situation. My family benefitted from the lines at 'some' rides, while other rides, I confirm were more fair. We didn't find any of the lines to be longer.. rather the lines, buses and trams getting on and off is indeed more of a hassle. I just wanted to clarify, that we didn't rent a scooter to bypass lines.. having to rent a scooter because of Grandma's situation was unfortunately my family's situation, and I'm only merely reporting the results during the summer season (August 09).

I guess we're entitled to our various opinions (respectfully).. we found that some high demand rides at Magic Kingdom did cut off more than an hour on waits..

I must agree and concur.. I find it annoying on the other side of the fence, when the handicapped line bypasses long waits. On the other side of the fence, we seriously considered bringing grandma this Christmas to bypass the lines.. per previous posts, we decided not to do that this year, and tough it out like the rest of the regular folks.

 

[SueM in MN]

Most attractions for all parks are listed as "Enter through standard queue" for attractions without Fastpass or "Obtain a FASTPASS OR use Standby Queue" on the new Guide for Guest with Disabilities maps for each park I picked up in October 2009 (and again in Oct 2010).
There is also a large red box on the maps which says "Guests with any mobility or queue related assistance needs are encouraged to use the Disney's FASTPASS option where ever possible." There is the same explanation about how to use Fastpass as on the regular park maps.
These are the attractions in each park with a different method of access other than the regular line, as listed on the map:
MK
WDW Railroad: Enter using ramp on the RIGHT on Main Street
WDW Railroad: Enter using wheelchair ramp on RIGHT at Frontierland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: Obtain Fastpass or see Host for options. If FASTPASS is not available, enter thru access on RIGHT
Country Bear Jamboree: Enter thru door on LEFT
Hall of Presidents: Enter through door on RIGHT
Liberty Square Riverboat: ENter through exit on RIGHT or LEFT
it's a small world: Enter thru standard queue. Follow directional signs to designated load area
Peter Pan's Flight: Obtain FASTPASS or see host for options. If Fastpass is not available, see a host for options.
Snow White's Scary Adventures: Enter through Exit on RIGHT
Cinderella's Golden Carrousel: ENter through exit on RIGHT
Dumbo: Enter using ramp on RIGHT
Tea Party: ENter through exit on RIGHT
Barnstormer: Enter through exit on LEFT
Space Mountain: Obtain a FASTPASS or see a host for options. If FASTPASS not available, enter through queue on RIGHT

Those that say enter thru exit are not necessarily getting on right away.
We have waited (just in that area) for an equivilent time to the posted time for the Tea Party and Dumbo.
My daughter can't ride Big Thunder Mountain, Peter Pan, Snow White, the Carrouse, Barnstormer or Space Mountain because she either can't do the transfer or they are roller coasters. For the shows listed, that is the entry into the building and guests usually get into the same show as the other people who were right ahead of them.

Epcot
Spaceship Earth: Enter through the exit on the RIGHT or LEFT
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the 3 Caballeros: Enter through the Standard Queue. Follow directional signs to designated load area.
American Adventure: See a host or hostess for access to second floor
Impressions de France: Enter through LEFT side of entrance hallway

Studio
Great Movie Ride: Enter through the Standard queue. A host will provide directions in the pre-show area
Studio Backlot Tour: Enter through the standard queue and stay to the RIGHT
Fantasmic: Enter through the standard queue and stay to the RIGHT

Animal Kingdom
Wildlife Express Train: Proceed through standard queue. A host will direct boarding
The Boneyard: Enter through the designated access gate

Everything other than these attractions I have listed say on the map to enter through the mainstream or standby queue.
The access information is listed right on the map with all the other information.

 

[kcbedo]

Ah, dear old Gram... she has so many uses.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Peter Pans Flight does indeed have an accessible entrance, I have used it.

Peter Pan does have an alternate accessible entrance because a wheelchair can't fit through the turnstiles. That being said, only 2 guests in wheelchairs can be loaded at any given time because there's only room for 2 chairs to be placed. When we were there in August, the regular line was moving pretty quickly and people were practically walking right on (this was during an AM EMH and no I'm not exagerating how quickly the regular line was moving) but we had to wait for several wheelchairs ahead of us to unload.

During that same EMH, it seemed as though the ride operators at all of the Fantasyland rides were making sure that plenty of people went through the regular line before they'd load us. At Dumbo, we watched lots of people who arrived after us get loaded before a CM came over to us and at the Teacups we had to wait through a couple rounds on the ride even though there were still empty teacups when the CM would start up the ride (yes the CM saw us because he waved to us and said he'd be by shortly). All people could see though was that we were loaded from a different spot and that regular loading halted to allow us onto the ride; they didn't see when we actually arrived which was before them.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

To be very up front, if my kids came to my wife and I, telling us they wanted to bring us with them and the grandkids, to put us in a wheelchair/s, (whether we needed it or not), just to cheat the lines, We would tell them to go to H....l!

I don't understand why this is so hard to understand...if you have a handcap,use the EVCs or wheelchairs and the proper lines.......if you don't.......please have the manners to wait in regular lines like the other folks!

AKK

 

[Ancien Maestro]

Tonka.. read the post before taking a bite out of crime.. Our Grandma had knee and hip surgery and can't walk long distances. You can take your kite and go fly it.. optional, with your family.. and hopefully not where you suggested.

Its an incentive to bring handicapped people who are less fortunate in my opinion.. and yes, being both sides of the fence the lines are faster.

 

[mousebymarriage]

These kind of threads always lead to arguements and I think the OP knows that!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Its an incentive to bring handicapped people who are less fortunate in my opinion.. and yes, being both sides of the fence the lines are faster.

Okay, now you've aggravated me. Your opinion or not, handicapped people are NOT less fortunate. Less fortunate how? Less fortunate than whom? Nobody's perfect - just some people have visible handicaps or mobility issues, while others have disabilities that aren't physical or which they don't consider handicaps but observers do.

Again, while accompanying your grandmother - who, ideally, you've thanked graciously and multiple times - enabled you to access SOME Magic Kingdom rides faster than if you had waited in line with the other Guests, you know very well that you waited in other lines with the other Guests all the way to the boarding area. You likely don't realize (or the park truly wasn't busy) that you waited longer to board some attractions.

But please stop advocating bringing a mobility-impaired Guest to Walt Disney World for the perceived 'perq' of faster attraction access.

 

[maxiesmom]

Are yall kidding me? I don't mind the rides so much, its the waiting in line for 45 minutes at the bus stop with two tired children asleep on your shoulder, only to have a party of 6 come up to the front of the line and board the bus first with grandma. Then you're told "sorry, the bus is full, you'll have to wait for the next one". Why cant the party wait in line like the rest of us? I'm not being rude or judgmental, I just don't understand (unless it has changed since our last visit. If it has - I apologize).)

That is because there are only a few spots available on each bus for someone in a scooter or ECV. If they are open, it just makes sense to use them and it is truly a toss up on wether the next bus will have an open spot or not.

Also, it is in part due to the ADA law which states you must have equal axcess for those with disabilities. Which would mean following the letter of the law that if someone in a scooter can't board a bus, no one else can either. And I don't think anyone here would like to see a half full bus leave a bunch of people behind because the scooter spots were full.